Shield and seat arrangement



25 1950 F. L. MURPHY "ET AL SHIELD AND SEAT ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1944 m n; MZ i.

pril 25, 1950 F. L; MURPHY ETAL SHIELD AND SEAT ARRANGEMENT 4 Sheets-Shea?, 2

FiledV Nov. 22, 1944 l i l s s l .lifllllln pril 25 1950 F. L .,MURPHY ETAL 2,505,687

` sIELD AND SEAT ARRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 22, 1944 4 sheets-sheet s plil 1950 F. L. MURPHY ETAL. 2,505,687

SHIELD AND SEAT `RRANGEMENT Filed Nov. 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented lpr. 25, 1950 SHIELD AND SEAT ARRANGEMENT Frank L. Murphy and Carl H. Apel, Chicago, Ill.,

assgnors to Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application November 22, 1944, Serial No. 564,654

6 Claims. l

The modern railroad day coach aiords passengers many more comforts and conveniences than were ever provided in the old standard equipment. Today, each passenger enjoys, among many other conveniences, an individual seat independently adjustable to suit his own needs. Provisions are made to adapt these seats to both day and night use, so that each occupant may at any time recline or sit upright without reference to his neighbor occupying the next adjoining seat.

It is a common occurrence, however, in day coaches, and particularly in coaches where the modern adjustable seats are employed, for one occupant to fall asleep and slump over to a position where he crowds or otherwise interferes with the comforts of the occupant in the next adjoining seat. Often both occupants while sleeping in reclining positions face each other and cough or breathe into each others face. These, of course, are undesirable conditions.

The present invention is intended to correct these conditions, and has as one of its principal objects the purpose of providing privacy as between the occupants of adjoining seats when such privacy is desired by either party. The device is flexible enough in its operation so that `at all times when privacy is not desired there need be no obstruction whatever disposed between the seat occupants.

The foregoing constitute some of the objects and advantages of the invention, others of which will become apparent from the following description and the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective View of a pair of adjoining seats shown in upright position with the separating shield entirely out of the way in its inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 but showing both seats in reclining position with the separating shield in its operative position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the separating shield and the center bracket mounting the shield on the seat base frame;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational View of the seats shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but shows the relationship between the seat back and the separating shield when the back rests are in their upright positions;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line E-B of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the spring clip that 2 holds the separating shield in the desired position;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view corresponding to Fig. 5 but shows the relationship between the separating shield and the back rests at the time the back rests are in their reclining positions and the separating shield is in its operating position; and

Fig. l1 is a view corresponding to Fig. 10 but shows the separating shield in its inoperative position at the same time the back rests are in their reclining positions.

Though one embodiment only of the invention has been selected for the purpose of illustration, it is recognized that many modications may be madewithout departing from the intended spirit and scope of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. l and 2, the invention is illustrated in conjunction with a pair of adjoining seats generally indicated at 2li and 26, comprising a pair of seat cushions 2l and 28 mounted on a seat base frame 29, and a pair of adjustable back rests 3B and 3| movable between upright and reclining positions.

A separating shield 32 forming the subject matter of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 1 as being in its inoperative position, and is at that time disposed in a recess 33 formed between the adjacent seat back rests and 3|. This shield comprises a panel substantially corresponding in width and height to the corresponding dimensions of the back rests 36 or 3|. The forward edge of the shield has a contour corresponding substantially to that of one of the seat backs. In Fig. 2, the back rests 3S and 3| are illustrated in their reclining positions as distinguished from their upright positions shown in Fig. 1 and the separating shield 32 is shown in its operative position in Fig. 2 extending outwardly from the front faces of the back rests 3!) and 3| to provide an obstruction between the two seats.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 9, a center bracket 34 is mounted on the seat base frame 29 and is fastened to the base frame by rivets or the like (not shown) extending through a horizontal leg 35 forming the lower part of the center bracket 34.

The separating shield 32 may be made of wood-such, for example, as plywood-and is fastened at its lower edge on both sides by metal plates 36 (see Fig. 7). The separating shield 32 is fastened to the center bracket 3i by means of a bracket, generally indicated at 3l, which, as

means adapted to engage the shield to hold the latter in selected position, and means on one back rest engaging the shield for moving the shield from its reclining position to its upright position. both back rests being movable to their intermediate positions independently of the shield.

4. A seat for double occupancy comprising a pair of pivotally mounted back rests disposed side by side adapted to move from upright to intermediate and reclining positions, the back rests when both are disposed in upright, intermediate or reclining positions having their iront faces substantially flush, a separating shield disposed between the back rests and being substantially coextensive with the height of the back rests, support means on the seat mounting the shield for pivotal movement adjacent to its lower end so that the back rest may move from upright to intermediate and reclining positions corresponding to said positions of the back rest. locking means adapted to engage the shield to hold the latter in either position, and means operatively connecting one back rest with the shield for moving the shield from its reclining position to its upright position, both back rests being movable to intermediate position independently of the shield.

5. A seat for double occupancy comprising a pair of pivotally mounted back rests disposed side by side adapted to move from upright to a second position, the back rests when both are disposed in upright or their second positions having their front faces substantially ush, a separating shield disposed between the back rests and comprising a wall-like member extending downwardly from a position adjacent to the top of the back rests, support means on the seat mounting the shield for pivotal movement thereof from upright to a second position corresponding to said positions of the back rests with the axis of said movement corresponding to the axis of the movement of the back rests, locking means adapted to engage the shield to hold the latter in either position, and means operatively connecting one back rest with the shield for moving the shield from its second position to its upright position, both back rests being movable to their second position independently of the shield.

6. A seat comprising a, pair of back rests dis-- posed side by side, means mounting each back rest independently for movement between upright and a second position, a shield disposed between the back rests and comprising a walllike member extending downwardly from a position adjacent to the top of the back rests and adapted to assume a position corresponding with upright position of the back rests, support means mounting the shield for pivoting independently of the back rests, the back rests being adapted to pivot independently between the upright and the second position while the shield remains in upright position.

FRANK L. MURPHY. CARL H. APEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 30 le of this lpatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Certificate of Correction Patent N o. 2,505,687 April 25, 1950 FRANK L. MURPHY ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the nbove numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 23, for the Word either read selected;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of August, A. D. 1950.

[SEAL] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Gommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

